A Promise at the Water's Edge
by SilverFlameoftheWindScar
Summary: Before the meeting at the Temple of Time, Link finally acts on the feeling that he needs to remember something. By going to a good place to think, he finds exactly what he is missing yet soon finds himself in a new world. DarkLinkIchigoHichigo FOURSOME!:D
1. Chapter 1

A Promise at the Water's Edge

One-shot?

DISCLAIMER: If it's not copyright, it's mine, o-KAY?!

This story came out of my head when I was watching Dark/Link yaoi videos on youtube(dot)com. It struck me like a satchel of green beans. …and it hurt.

(--)

The Hero of Time, Link, knew that he had to go meet a mysterious person in the Temple of Time. He also, somehow, knew that as soon as he did, the battle with Ganondorf would be straight down the hallway instead of around the corner as it was at that moment. It was known to him that he needed to hurry, but he didn't feel like he needed to be in such a rush.

After all, if the person was dumb enough to stand out in the open to wait for him, then that was his or her problem, right?

_Right._

"Link!" a tiny voice said from his shoulder. "Where are you going?! The temple is the _other_ way! You heard Rauru!"

"How could I _not_ hear Rauru, Navi? He was speaking into my _mind,_ and, unless I'm losing aforementioned mind, then I'd have to hear him!" His reply caused the small, blue ball of light to huff at him. "Sorry, Nav… I just…feel like there's something I'm not remembering… I don't know what it is."

"And it's in the opposite direction of where we're supposed to be going?" she retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "If you're scared, you can admit it, you know. It takes more courage to confess when you're afraid than to face your demons while hiding how you feel."

"I know that, Navi, but I'm not afraid. I feel…numb…to the fact that I'll have to face Ganondorf…most likely after I speak to Rauru's mystery informant," Link replied, seeing the gates to his second favorite place appearing along the horizon. _I'm glad I took Epona back to Malon…even if she gave me a fit for it… I don't want her stuck out here in Hyrule Field where something can hurt her,_ he thought as he climbed the ladder propped against the right wall.

"Why are you coming to Lake Hylia, Link?" Navi asked, being her pestering self.

Link let a small smile come to his face at that thought. _Same ol' Navi. She'll never change._ "I'm going here because it's my second favorite place and the best place to think. I also want to rest before fighting His Green Highness." That was an ongoing joke about the Evil King which Link had started up in one of his rants when he was stuck in a sticky glob of nasty stuff that he didn't want to label in the Fire Temple.

"I can't blame you for that. After all, those witches took a lot out of you," Navi agreed. Link cheered in his head at that fact. "What are you going to think about?"

"Whatever comes to mind," was the simple answer from the Hylian as he pulled his Kokiri tunic over his head and replaced it with the matching Zora cloth. He still thought it felt weird when the odd yet comfortable fabric slid over his undershirt and leggings. _Heh…whatever comes to mind, right?_ He gave mental laugh at the trail his thoughts took for a few moments. _Thinking about clothing… It makes me sound like a woman…_ He actually _did_ laugh that time.

Navi merely glanced at him, rolling her eyes at his usual spontaneous laughter. "W-what are you doing!?" she shouted at seeing him laying his weapons on the ground.

"What's it look like?" he asked curiously, innocence laced too heavily in his tone. "I want to swim for a while and these only slow me down. I know you'll keep an eye on them and fiercely protect them, won't you, Navi? My dearest, bestest, sweetest friend in the world?" He widened his eyes in a perfect puppy look. Navi huffed before alighting herself on his green tunic; it was still warm. "Thanks, Nav. You know I love you, right?"

"Like the mother I have to act like with you? Yes, I know," she answered, flying up to rub against his cheek. "I love you, too, Link." A light touch on his forehead let him know that she'd kissed it. "Now, go swim before night falls or you'll get sick."

"Going," he said before diving into the water, careful not to splash anywhere near his life-long friend. After a few laps around the lake, he turned onto his back and floated on the water. _What is it that I'm missing? I can't figure it out,_ he wondered, folding his arms behind his head. He had forgotten about Navi's wish for him to be out of the water before dark, so he was peacefully watching the setting sun. _Will I find it before I have to fight Ganondorf?_

"You look lonely," a voice suddenly whispered into his ear. Flailing ungracefully, to his chagrin, he found himself sinking into the water with something pulling the back of his tunic.

"What-?" he tried to ask, but water filled his mouth. Even though he had his Zora tunic, it didn't stop his coughing, only allowed it to carry on. Gentle fingers were suddenly massaging his throat, helping him with his coughing fit. After it faded, he turned curious eyes to the person who'd helped him. A black blur pointed to the platform above the Water Temple. Link gave a nod, indicating that he understood, then gave a soft smile of gratitude before swimming off to the island.

"Long time, no see, Linky-boy." The teenager froze, halfway in the water and half on the land. Slowly raising his eyes, he gazed into blood red orbs. "Yeah, I know the routine. 'You're dead!' 'If I was, I wouldn't be standing here!' If you wouldn't mind, don't state the obvious."

"D-Dark… How…?" he asked, his voice soft because of the shock still coursing through his system.

As the midnight-haired, dark reflection was about to answer, a glowing, red orb of light with transparent bat-like wings, also red, interrupted him. "Why not get him out of the water? Do you_ want_ him to get pneumonia?"

"She's the darkness of your fairy, so I just call her Ivana," he explained to the still-shocked warrior. "And _no_! I _don't_ want him to get sick!" Dark exclaimed to the fairy before walking over to Link and, with a fair bit of tenderness, lifted him from the water. "Geez…you eating much lately?" he questioned.

"Er…no…not really…" Link cringed back from the glare directed to him from the darker half. "I'm worried about Hyrule!" he justified. "It's a proven fact that people eat less when they're worried!"

"And you're the only hope Hyrule has! If you let yourself run down like this, what's gonna happen to her?" Dark asked, stumping Link on his inquiry.

"Y…You're right… S-sorry…" He scratched the back of his head before realizing that he was having a _civil __**conversation**_ with _Dark_! _My life is royally screwed up,_ he figured and let it be. "But I can't really help it…although I _am_ eating a sort of full meal a day with a small lunch and dinner…"

Dark's palm met the back of his head. "Ganon won't have to worry about killing you… You're doing that job for him…"

"At least I would never know that for certain!" Link shouted, cringing when Dark grimaced. "I-I'm sorry…I…I didn't…"

"Nah… It's all right. I guess I deserved that one." The light half stepped over to him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. A split second later, Dark found himself in a warm embrace. Surprised, it took him a moment to react, which was to pull the blue-clothed blonde closer. "You'd willingly come this close to me…with nothing but your body to protect yourself?"

"You've not offered to hurt me yet, have you?" Link retorted with a slight smirk as the moonlight skin of his darker half contrasted dramatically with the golden tan of his own. "Besides, I don't think you wanted to hurt me to begin with."

"Your thoughts are correct. Ganondorf shaped me under his will… When you defeated me, you freed me. But, when you freed me, it left us both empty – you of your darkness, me of my light."

"It's like everything goes horrible for us, huh?" Link asked, his voice muffled because of the bottom half of his face being buried in Dark's shoulder. Lithe muscles shifted under the skin as the red-eyed warrior pushed Link less than half an arm's length away.

A slight smile was on his face as he answered, "If something went right without consequence…the world would turn upside down." A smile broke out on Link's face before he started laughing. _He's too hott when he smiles and laughs,_ raced through the midnight-haired, young man's mind, causing him to pause. _Heh…following my impulses again, aren't I?_ he wondered before pulling Link back to him and causing their mouths to meet in a kiss.

_Whoa, holy shit!_ was Link's only thought on the matter, as he was too shocked at the moment to do anything. His eyes were wide open for the time being until the sensation of Dark's soft lips broke through the haze. _Ah, who gives a flyin' frog's ass about sexual preference?!_ he rhetorically asked then gave into the kiss. "You stole my first kiss," he mentioned to Dark.

"Then…does that mean you stole mine?" The two smiled at each other as Ivana, over their heads, gagged and spat.

"PDA, PDA!" she shouted, getting a raised eyebrow from her partner. "Public Display of Affection!" she explained, and started her mantra again.

"Go bother Navi…sheesh," Dark griped, pointing at the little blue ball that was flying on a beeline for them. "Be a dear and cut her off for us so we can catch up on lost time, would you?" The red fairy huffed before jetting off to stop the blue fairy. "Now…where were we?"

"I think you were just about to put your tongue down my throat." Dark smirked at the grinning face of the lighter half of their soul. "Or I can put _my_ tongue down _your_ throat, if you like?" he added in question before leaning close to the black-clothed teen to do just that. And a battle of tongues was waged on the island above the Water Temple.

"W-what-?" Dark stuttered when a hand, most certainly not his own, found it's way down the back of the top of his tunic.

"You haven't been touched much, have you?" Link asked softly, brushing his nose against Dark's in an Eskimo Kiss. At the sheepish shrug, he sighed. "I'll change that…" He brushed his hand over Dark's cheek. "I'll touch you gently each chance I get," he finished, sealing it with a kiss.

"Just how far are you willing to take that vow?" Dark asked with a suggestive wink, a saucy smile curving his lips. At Link's grin, he realized that the pure Hero of Time wasn't as pure as he was supposed to be.

"Exactly when are you asking for that?" was the reply.

"Find an enclosed space only the Goddesses themselves can see as soon as possible and I'll _show_ you."

"I know a nice little cubby hole in the Lost Woods' Sacred Meadow. Saria keeps watch over the temple. If that's too close to detection for comfort…I can always find one of the many hidden places in Hyrule field…" Link's musings stopped short when he grinned. "I think the one in the middle of the fences and gates right outside of here would work, right?"

"Perfect," Dark whispered into his ear, his tongue tracing a path up it to invoke a terrific shiver from him. "You've not been touched _this_ way. Thankfully, neither have I." The two leapt into the water, swimming quickly and easily through the clear liquid. Seeing Navi and Ivana, they weren't surprised when those two lights were closer than they normally should've been. _Looks like they're following Link's and my example,_ Dark figured with a mental snigger.

"This is the spot," Link said about two minutes later. He had to reacquire his weapons because of his insecurities of Hyrule Field and the need for bombs. After Link set the bomb, he moved Dark backwards and away from the blast range. "I really don't know how these things are here or how they hide themselves after someone enters them. They're just…there, really."

"As long as no one will get curious, who cares?!" Dark asked, jumping into the pit. Chuckling, Link followed. He withdrew a blanket from his pack, spreading it out on the ground before falling onto it spread-eagle. "You're awfully resourceful."

"I wouldn't be alive right now if I weren't," Link replied and, all of a sudden, he found the darker half kissing him fiercely.

"Don't say that. Thinking about you being dead makes my chest hurt," Dark said, demanding the first part. "But anyway, now isn't a time for talking. It's a time for _action_." He leaned down, pushing Link onto his back. "You want top or bottom?" he asked before tracing a line up the blonde's neck with his tongue.

"I prefer to attack something before it attacks me," was the vague answer, spoken around a groan, and causing Dark to roll his eyes. During his lapse in concentration, Link took the chance to flip them over. "I'll take top…this time," he added with a grin against the skin behind Dark's ear. "Ooo…sweet spot," he said when a moan was pulled from the red-eyed warrior.

"I've got more than one," Dark retorted before finding softly curved nails tracing lines along the back of his neck. _Why are necks so sensitive!?_ he wondered around a mewl. "Yeah…I'm vocal… Bite me…"

"Gladly," Link replied before kissing the end of his nose then leaving nips along his jaw and down his neck to where the collar became a problem. "You, soon-to-be-lover, are wearing _far_ too much clothing." Easily, the hero's long fingers unclasped the buckle at the front of the shadow's tunic before sliding it over his head. Next went the dark gray undershirt. Resuming his activities of kissing, nipping, and licking, he made his way down Dark's chest.

"Sheesh…what all can you…nnh…do with that tongue…?" The shadow arched up into the blonde when a ghosting of the other's aforementioned tongue crossed over his nipple. "Fuck…do that again…" Link did so, enjoying the sounds the soon-to-be-_his_ shadow was making.

After a few more moments spent to the nubs on the man's chest, he made his way down to his navel and lightly bit the rim. The darker arched up into him again before a hand in his hair, making him wonder what happened to his hat, forced him back up to the young man's mouth. "Demanding, are we?" Link asked softly, licking the other's cheek.

"I'd be…a lot less…if you were naked…"

"Then return the favor," was his response. Dark groaned as he slipped Link's tunic over his head then took a moment to marvel at the way the blonde's undershirt clung to his frame, outlining every muscle in his chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms. For a moment, Dark wished he could be that shirt. That was until he pulled it over his light's head. "Thank you. It was getting a bit stuffy in here."

"Ass," the darker replied, lifting his hips from the ground to let the other remove his breeches. Looking up at the teenager, he grinned lightly before removing the last article of clothing on his person as well. "See? Lot less demandin'."

Link didn't really pay much attention to what Dark had just said, instead staring at the way the moonlight skin shone in the sparse light of the place they were in. "You're beautiful, Dark…" he complimented softly. He, again, paid attention to the way their skin contrasted.

"So are you," Dark admitted, leaning up to press a kiss to the young warrior's shoulder. "Scars and all," he added, tracing a few of the thin lines crossing his chest and abdomen.

"Flip over," Link suddenly said, causing Dark to give pause to his soft and gentle touches.

"Nuh uh. There is no way in the Sacred Realm that I'm letting you take me from behind," was the darker of the two's reply. "I want to see your face when you come and I know you want to see mine when I do the same."

"I'm not taking you from behind! That would be disrespectful!" the blonde denied stubbornly. "I will not let you think that I believe you are beneath me," he added, starting to softly kiss overly-sensitive skin. "We are equals, Dark, in everything. We are equal respectively in light and dark, we are equal in the dark and light contrasts of our skin, we are equal in the soul shown in our respective eyes. We are equal in every meaning possible, only you are meant to be dark and I am meant to be light." Each time he said they were the same, he pronounced it with a gentle, loving bite.

"I'm still not flippin' over," Dark said with a soft groan. A smile came over Link's face with a slight chuckle as he nodded. "Thanks for not makin' me." The light leaned down, licking soft, pale lips before kissing them properly. "Now, get _on_ with it!"

"I thought you were less…_demanding_?" Link punctuated his question with a bite to the other's neck. Dark merely groaned and gave a partial glare. That was when the hero got a truly wicked idea and gave a smirk to show it, sniggering at the way the shadow paled. He kissed his way down the seemingly-glowing skin, paying attention to the muscles to trace the ridges between them with his tongue. _I guess there really are quite a few things I can do with this tongue of mine,_ he thought to himself with a mental laugh.

"What are-?" Dark tried to ask before a warm mouth on his erection pulled a graceful arch out of his back and a deep moan from him. "Must you…tease…me?" he slowly said, thinking out each word meticulously with what remained of his contemplative processes.

"Of course," Link answered in a whisper then traced his tongue along the vein underneath the shadow's cock, getting a cry from the darker. _Thank Goddesses I've long destroyed my gag reflex,_ he mused to himself as he took the length in his mouth, relaxing the muscles of his throat. _For this being a first time…he's certainly got stamina, but so do I._ He hummed a little tune he'd made up on his Ocarina when he'd been captured in the Gerudo Fortress.

"Link- I'm…I…" Dark trailed off with a cry of the lighter's name as he came when Link swallowed around him. "Goddesses…where… Where did you…learn to do that? I thought…you said…you're a…virgin?"

"I found a book in a library one time by accident when I was in Kakariko Village. Let's just say that it was overly informative for my teenaged body."

Dark laughed at that image. "How are you…still composed? …I'm a fuckin' puddle!"

"I've went through a _fortress FULL of women_, Dark. If I can't stand this, then I would've never been able to flirt with them so easily. I would have never gotten along with them either," the teenaged warrior answered with a slight smile. "I digress… We'll worry about specifics later. We're not done yet."

"No, we aren't, are we?" Dark asked softly yet with a wicked grin. Pushing himself up, he initiated a heated kiss between them. "I will ruin your composure at least once before we leave this little hidden spot."

"So you say, but can you follow through?"

"I'll try my damnedest or I guess we won't be leaving here for a while." That answer got a deep chuckle out of the lighter. "I wonder what people would think if they knew their Hero of Time wasn't as pure as they all thought?"

"Probably give me an earful, but that's them. I don't care about what other people think, Dark. But, right now, I'm still waiting on you to fulfill your declaration." Link bit his lip when the red-eyed warrior started trailing down his neck to his shoulder with soft licks and nips. _Sweet spot!_ he shouted in his mind when the skin between his neck and shoulder was lavished with a warm tongue. "Shit…" he murmured, having decided that he wasn't going to hide his reactions from the shadow.

"I want you to shout my name to the heavens, Link. I want to hear you scream it." _Dammit, I'm getting hard again,_ he cursed in his mind as his hardening member was pushed against the other's leg, drawing another moan from him.

"I didn't know this was going to work both ways," Link teased before soft yet firm fingers started tracing down his back. Each scar was slowly outlined. _Another sweet spot,_ he realized when a deep, throaty sound was pulled from him. A moment later, the lusty haze surrounding his mind was broken by the musings of wondering when his fingers became so sensitive as Dark licked and sucked at them.

"Are you…going to-" the shadow was cut off as a finger gently penetrated his entrance, drawing a hiss out of him. "Ouch," he grumbled as Link slowly pushed the digit in and out of the paler one. When Dark relaxed into the touch, he pressed in another, doing the same before adding a third. A resounding cry was drawn from the shadow when pleasure covered up the slight pain he still felt by racing up his spine. "Holy…_fuck_…"

"How does that work?" Link mused aloud with a raised eyebrow, making Dark grouch about how he was still composed. "Are you ready?"

"Just…get on…with it," was the panted answer. The fingers were withdrawn from the darker of the two so the lighter could dig around his stuff.

"Found it," Link whispered to himself as he lifted the small bottle of oil from a pouch. _Nabooru said I might need it,_ he remembered before going back over to Dark. "I won't hurt you," he vowed as he stared into slightly worried, lusty, and loving blood-colored eyes. Coating himself with the oil, he gently pushed into the shadow. Afterwards, he leaned up to soothe the lip Dark had bitten with his own then licked away the tears that had leaked from the shadow's eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Just…move…" Dark answered, staring up into caring, pure blue eyes. With a soft smile, Link did so, pulling out of the darker until he was almost withdrawn completely before carefully pushing back in. "Faster…I'm not a woman…" the shadow grumbled, burying his hands in the blonde hair of the young warrior over top of him. Trailing his hands downward, he traced the scars again before running his nails up and down the teen's spine.

The eye contact was broken when a groan came from Link and a cry came from Dark. "Sweet spot?" the blonde asked jokingly.

"Dammit… Ruin me…at a touch…" Link made sure to hit that spot every time he thrust into the shadow. "Oh fuck…" Dark moaned, lifting up to press a kiss to the other's lips before his back arched again from the pleasure racing through his body. "I…I…"

"Come for me, Dark," Link whispered into his ear after taking a deep breath to steady his mind, not surprised at all when his name was screamed by the shadow, himself following shortly after with, like the red-eyed warrior wanted, a cry of the darker one's name. "Okay…my composure…is dead…" he panted as he lay on top of Dark.

"Hah…told ya I'd…destroy it…" was the reply as Dark circled his arms around the hero. "You're…_my_ light now…my hikari…" he said as he nuzzled the golden-tanned teen's nose in another Eskimo Kiss.

"And you are _my_ darkness, my yami," Link replied with a smile that made his eyes shine more-so than they had been. "I love you, Dark," he added after burying his face in the paler one's neck.

Dark froze at that before a smile softened his features and his hold tightened around the young man in his arms. "I love you, too, Link." The lighter snuggled into the other, giving Dark an ample view of his scarred back. Breathing softly and deeply, the midnight-haired teen caused warm puffs of air to ghost over Link's neck, getting slight shivers out of the hero while he traced the scars he could see. "You know, Link…I thought it'd be me who knew more about this and was more willing to do it than you."

"As you said, I'm not as pure as I should be." Dark heard the smirk in Link's voice and, in retaliation with knowing that he had fangs, he sunk them into the tanned skin between the lighter's neck and shoulder. "Ah…" Link didn't know whether to be pained or pleasured by that action, so he let his body decide, and, if the warm feeling in his stomach was any indication, it already had. "Fudge monkeys…" he grumbled.

"Fudge monkeys? What the hell are those?"

"Didn't feel like sayin' fuck," Link answered before Dark lifted himself off of his cock. _I honestly forgot…_ he mused in his head.

"How could you forget your cock was in me!?" _Sheesh…lovin' a blockhead…_

"How the hell did you read my mine AND, thank you very much, I am NOT a blockhead! I am currently incapacitated!"

Dark opened his mouth to retort before shock reverberated through him. _Read his mind…? Uh oh…_

"Yes, uh oh," Link said to him before a truly R-rated image of himself straddling Dark, very much nude and sweaty, was placed into his head. "Oh _FUCK_ Dark! Must you!?"

"That's what I want right now," he answered, getting a groan from Link before the blonde smirked. "What are you…?"

"What my shadow wants, I'll try to give to him," the hero said, cutting off the question coming from the darker of the two.

"I want you and your love; that's all."

"You've had me for a while, I just didn't know it," Link responded before lifting his body to place a leg on either side of the moonlight-skinned warrior's hips. "Now…what was it you wanted?"

(--)

I know, horrible, evil, vile woman for leaving such a cliffy. I, quite frankly, DON'T GIVE A FUCK! But Link and Dark do.

D and L: HEY!

Hi, how are you?

L: Pretty well, actually.

D: Only because we're going at it like rabbits!

L: Your point?

D: _I_ am supposed to corrupt _YOU_, not the other way around!

Oi! Don't you dare leave me out of this conversation!

L: I thought you were getting some toilet paper for that nosebleed of yours?

Haha, very funny.

D: It was! –still laughing at writer's misfortune-

Shut the fuck up and the rest of you…kindly review so I can get these weirdos off to another chapter, would you? Well…maybe another chapter… _**IF**_ you ask nicely, sans rotten veggies and fruits and other such miscellaneous food items.


	2. Chapter 2

A Promise at the Water's Edge

Second Shot

DISCLAIMER: If it's not copyright or owned by someone else, it's mine.

(--)

Waking up was quite an affair for Link. He was used to waking on his side with one hand under his head and the other on the wrist of the arm with the hand between his face and the ground. Normally, Navi was nestled in his tunic on the side that wasn't on the ground. Other than that, he would wake on his stomach with Navi between his shoulder blades, again, snuggled into his tunic. The blanket was usually cast off two feet away from him.

As he awoke this specific morning, he found himself to be surrounded by warmth with his own arms wrapped around something, or some_one_, as the case happened to be. When his unmatchable-crystal-blue eyes opened, the sight of the midnight-colored hair and the palest healthy skin he'd ever seen brought back the memories of the night's activities.

He bit his lip as a fierce blush worked its way to his face. _At least my blood is getting to my entire body now,_ he figured before his eyes widened at this thought, getting a mental laugh out of him.

_Shut up, blondie, I'm tryin' ta sleep…_ At the voice, he laughed aloud. "Link, hush."

"I'm sorry, Dark. I'd thought it was all a dream…but I'm so happy that it wasn't that I can't help but laugh," the blonde replied, his warm laughter dying down to a warm smile. He tightened the hold his arms had on the dark-violet-haired, red-eyed man.

"Never pictured you as a cuddles person," Dark replied though wasn't complaining.

"And I never would've pictured you to be less knowledgeable about sex than I," Link retorted with a grin, displaying a straight row of pearly-white teeth. The grin was swallowed by a kiss from his shadow. "I love you, Dark…and I mean it."

"I love you, too, Link, truthful as I can be," Dark replied, kissing Link again as if to seal the proclamation. "Mmm…Isn't…there something…we're forgetting?"

"Ack! Shit!" the blonde shouted, sitting up abruptly and causing Dark, who was laying half on top of him, to bend uncomfortably and in a way he didn't know he could. "I forgot about my mystery contact! Rauru told me to go to the Temple of Time! YESTERDAY!!!" Dark only watched Link as he ran around the little cave, in all of his birthday-glory, trying to gather his stuff and only succeeding in throwing it all over the place. "FUCK!"

"Whoa, kinky-master!" the midnight-purple-haired man finally yelled, causing the blonde to stall his movements. "If you'd just calm down and go about this in a rational manner, you would happen to notice that you're making more of a mess than there had been."

"Yeah…you're right…" Link said quietly, calming slowly but surely. Running a hand through his hair, he found Dark's arms wrapped around him from behind. "Dark?"

"You are _entirely_ too energetic after the mind-blowing sex last night," the red-eyed man stated with a straight face. The lighter chuckled softly as he placed a hand over one of Dark's. "C'mon. Let's clean up and then go take a bath. After that, we'll worry about the person who's supposed to be at the temple. Sound good?"

"Sounds good," the blonde answered softly. He, _calmly_, dressed, collected his things to put back in his pack, and took the Master Sword as Dark handed it to him. _Wait a tic…_ "Dark… Did you just happen to do what I think you did?"

"That depends on what you think I did."

"Well, I think you did happen to just hand me my sword…my _Master Sword_…"

"Well, I think you would just so happen to be correct. See? Told ya I wasn't evil." A sudden pout came over Dark's face. "And you _didn't believe me!! _Even _after_ we screwed each other into the ground!"

"Must you put it so…gruesomely?" Link asked quietly with a funny expression on his face. Dark merely shrugged before kissing his light with a grin. "And yes, thank you very much, I did believe you because I could feel it. The reason why I asked is because we now have _evidence_ of your…dark innocence, I suppose." He raised an eyebrow to himself before shaking his head in a dismissive manner. "Ah, fuck it. We know you aren't evil! That's all that matters!"

"Here, here!" the darker of the two shouted comically, pumping his fist in the air with his syllables. "C'mon. That bath is calling me."

"Myself, as well," Link confessed.

--

An hour later, Navi and Ivana had joined them as Link withdrew his Ocarina of Time. "Off to the Temple of Time for us, I suppose. And, Dark, be careful when we get there. You, too, Ivana. I don't know who we're meeting and I have a bad feeling of what might happen if he or she reacts badly to you. I don't want either of you hurt," Link said to the dark individuals. Thinking about that sentence got the lighter to wondering if his shadow would take up another name so as not to confuse everyone so much.

"I like Zyne (Zign)."

"Huh?" the hero had been lost in his thoughts for a few moments.

"Zyne. I like that name," Dark repeated his answer to Link's unspoken question. "Sounds mysterious to me, I guess."

"If that is what you want to be called, then that is what I shall call you."

"It is."

"If I said Zi for short, would you be irritated?"

"If I called you Li, would you get pissed?"

"I thought I was hikari?"

The newly-christened Zyne merely shrugged before glomping Link in a hug. "Nah, I wouldn't mind at all," he answered the first question with a smile as his purer half played the Prelude to Light. Navi and Ivana landed on their respective partner's shoulders before the sparks of light whisked them away. "That first step's a doozy…" Zyne mumbled though it still echoed around the temple.

"You'll get used to it, don't worry. Just about the only way to travel if you're in a huge hurry-"

"Which you should have been!" a voice suddenly cut across them. The abruptness caused Zyne to rip his sword from its sheath on his back as Link drew his bow and a Fire Arrow, both poised to do serious damage to the speaker. "Whoa. Calm down, would you?"

"No. It's not healthy to sneak up on people," Zyne answered, cutting across his light as the blonde opened his mouth.

"So I see."

"Sheik? What are…why are you here? I thought you were only to guide me to the Sages?" Link asked as he stared at the Sheikah.

"Yes, but I am meant to give you the last of what you shall need to face the Evil King," the blonde male answered, casting a suspicious eye to Zyne and Ivana. "But first," he continued, "Who are they and why do you look so much alike?"

"We-"

"-are two halves of-"

"-the same soul," Link and Zyne answered. "Same for those two," they added in sync, pointing to their respective fairy partners.

"Anyway, what do we need to know before we fight Mean and Green?" the darker asked, getting a glare from Sheik before the blonde went on to state that a person had to have Power, Wisdom, and Courage valued equally in his or her heart if the person touches the Triforce to obtain the entire artifact and all of its strength. "That would be an awesome sight.

"But people don't stick with all three," Zyne cut in before letting the red-eyed man continue. Along with what the Sheikah stated prior to the interruption, if a person who didn't have the three valued the same, then the one that the person valued most would stay with them while the other two sought out two people worthy of their representations. "Okay so…basically, Ganondorf tried to take the Triforce and, since he wants Power most, that's all he got." Sheik nodded at the summary, a little put off that it could be summed up in one sentence. "So…where's the other two?"

"As the purple-haired one stated, Ganondorf has the Triforce of Power," the Sheikah stated. "The Triforce of Courage is…in _you_, Link." The blonde hero had a shocked and disbelieving look on his face but was waiting for Sheik to finish. "And the Triforce of Wisdom belongs to the one who will rule them all…" The red-eyed blonde lifted his right hand in front of his face, the Mark of the Triforce glowing fiercely on the back of his hand before a flash encompassed them.

"Oh…sweet…Goddesses…" Link mumbled as he stared at what had become of Sheik. "Can't…can't be… Impa wouldn't…too dangerous… Not really here…"

Zyne smacked him upside the head. "Cool it," was all he said before turning back to the person before them.

"Yes… I have been Princess Zelda all along. I know it has been far too dangerous for me to help you, Link, but I couldn't sit idly by while you risked life and limb to save my country.

"When I threw the Ocarina to you that day, seven years ago, I never could have fathomed that this would happen… That you would be sealed away for seven, long, difficult years. I had no inkling that you could have been the fabled Hero of Time and could have actually drawn the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time.

"But I digress. We are wasting valuable time on things that cannot be taken, or given, back." Zelda stepped closer to the Medallion Disk the two were standing upon. "I have something to give you which I have kept for all these years." She lifted her hands in front of her, magic gathering around them before forming into a cylindrical, thin object. It floated over to Link, who took it reverently. "This is called the Light Arrow," she explained. "It can pierce even the fiercest of darkness…even to Ganondorf's heart.

"Your battle will not be easy. I will be with you to help as much as I ca-" The temple suddenly rumbled, as if an earthquake happened to be ripping through the land beneath it.

"I never would have figured that the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom would have been directly under my nose this entire time! How foolish of me," a deep, malicious voice mocked. "And, lo and behold, my favorite experiment is coming back to me as well."

Zyne growled, bearing his fangs to the invisible menace. "I'll never come back to you! My place is with my hikari!" he shouted, red eyes glowing radiantly in his anger.

"Kid, I'll be keeping the Princess," continued Ganondorf as if Zyne hadn't interrupted him. A pink crystal appeared around the woman, getting a gasp from her as it rendered her immobile. "If you want her back, come to my castle.

"I just can't believe I underestimated you, kid…but it was the power of the Triforce sleeping within you that crumbled all of my plans to dust. I never would have realized that the Triforce of Courage would have chosen you." Mocking laughter echoed as Zelda was lifted into the air, just out of their reach, before she and her prison vanished into thin air.

"Dammit!" Link shouted as he slammed his fist into the floor, the amount of helplessness he had felt when Zelda had been captured having caused his knees to give out beneath him. "DAMMIT!" he nearly screamed, throwing his head back. "I'm supposed to protect her…" he added softly. "Impa told me to protect the Princess in her absence…and when the Princess needed me the most…I couldn't do anything…"

Navi perched on his nose and lightly kicked it. "Snap out of it, Link!"

Zyne stepped over and lifted the fairy from her larger counterpart. "Why don't you go rant at Ivana. She looks lonely," he offered, getting a huff from the blue light before she flew to the red ball of iridescence. "Link… Navi's right," he said to the blonde in a soft voice as he knelt beside him.

"Have you ever felt so utterly hopeless…? Like everything you do is in vain?" the hero asked quietly.

A grin crossed Zyne's face as he answered, "Yep! All the time! And I never let it wear me down!

"Now get the fuck up off the floor! We've got a Princess of Destiny to save!" Link merely looked at him from his position on the white tile of the Temple of Time. "If we don't hurry…Ganon'll….he'll…_eat_ her or something!" The comical way that it brought a small smile to Link's face. "That's it, Link. Smile. As long as we still draw breath, the battle isn't lost."

"You're right… Thanks, Zi," the lighter said softly before capturing the darker's lips in a tender kiss. It was deepened by Zyne's tongue entering his mouth. "Well…let's get the Princess back…and save Hyrule while we're at it."

"That's the spirit!" Zyne shouted before a grin stretched across his face and they ran out of the temple toward Ganon's Castle.

Dodging the Redeads was easy enough for them. When reaching the castle, however, Link couldn't help stopping to stare, yet again, in slight horror at it. "I can't believe he did this…" the blonde whispered before remembering something he figured to be wholesomely important. "The Great Fairy! I hope she's all right!" Taking a quick trip through the destroyed gateway, he found it to be blocked by a heaping amount of boulders. "Dammit!" Taking out the Megaton Hammer, he worked his way through them, lifting the ones that wouldn't be destroyed with his Silver Gauntlets.

"Whoa, Link! What are you after? Great Fairies can't be killed by mortals! Only the Goddesses can hurt them!" Zyne informed him just as he finished making a path to a huge column of black stone. "Link! Listen to me!" Stomping up to the hero, he pulled him away from the stone and his, currently, one-track mind. "Link. She's fine. You can't lift that stone at the moment. Come back when you have the means to do so and, take this from my personal ventures in Ganon's Castle, it's in there."

"All…all right… I'm okay…" Link took a calming breath before a fierce determination came stole over his face. "Let's get this done," he said with a soft smile to Zyne, getting a passionate kiss from the darker of the two, then they made their way to the chasm blocking them away from the castle.

"O…kay?" Zyne asked, an eyebrow arched up his forehead. "Now, just how in the name of Hell are we supposed to get across this? Just…-POOF- and appear there? Or is this some 'Leap of Faith' type deal where a bridge magically appears after we're falling to our deaths?"

"You make this sound simple enough that I just might try that," Link replied dryly before a voice he knew well boomed through his mind, causing him to wince slightly. _Rauru?_

Yes, Hero of Time, it is I. You have freed six Sages, thus returning our full strength. We now use our power to create a pure pathway to Ganon's Castle. Go forth, Hero of Time, and draw out the power within yourself to end this feud!

_Yes, sir, _Link replied, knowing that Zyne had heard what Rauru had said to him. Lights flittered from the sky to whirl around the two before bursting outward then swarming in the gap between the land and the castle's entrance. After a flash of white light, a bridge of rainbow colors was formed. Stepping forward carefully, Link found it to be as solid as Zyne's skull.

"I heard that!" the shadow shouted at him, getting a smirk from the hero before his hand was seized in a warm grip and he found himself pulled toward the bridge. Cringing in wait for the stomach-in-throat feeling that came with falling, he was pleasantly surprised when the creation of light supported him. "I love you, Link," he spoke softly and abruptly.

"I love you, too, Zyne," was the equally tender reply as Link laced his fingers with his other half's. "Come on. Ganon's not going to kill himself for us."

"It'd be nice if he would. I want to screw you senseless on a soft mattress instead of the hard ground."

With a chuckle, Link retorted, "The sand wasn't all that horrible, was it?" as they stepped into the castle, right into the waiting sight of a Beamos. "HOLY MOLEY!" the blonde shouted, jumping into the air before his foot could be zapped. "Damn hunk of junk!" he yelled at it before pulling a bomb from what seemed to be nowhere and chucking the explosive at the creature. "His Green Highness has to put everything from machinations to the fucking demons from the furthest reaches of Hell in my way! Why can't the molded bastard just _DIE_?!"

"You all right?"

"Yeah…makes me feel better." They continued on. Meeting with a barrier around the next doorway had Link ranting again, but with mumbles about moldy skin, huge noses, and the worst fashion sense he'd ever be subjected to. Collecting the silver rupees in the chamber beneath the Forest Medallion was simple, though the hero was still muttering profanities at the Evil King. Seeing Saria put the blonde in a better mood, though she questioned about Zyne, as everyone else, Link was sure, would do.

Darunia was ecstatic to see them, the happy, warm smile staying on his face as he found that his Sworn Brother finally found someone to care for _him_. Ruto was a bit cold to Zyne for stealing her 'fiancé', but he merely stuck his tongue out at her with a grin. Impa, never one to be shaken, took it in stride and congratulated them. Nabooru was something different and had Link blushing seven different shades of red.

"Needed that oil I gave you, did you?" she asked with a sly wink and grin, getting a blush out of Link and a dreamy grin from Zyne. "I'll take that as a 'yes', kid."

"I don't think I'm much of a _kid_, anymore, Nabooru," Link replied, his blush gone in favor of a smile.

"You beat Molded Holiness, then we'll see if you're still a kid or not," she retorted with a laugh. "Take care of that rotten bastard, Link."

"Don't leave me out! That fucker made me hurt my hikari!" Zyne declared vehemently, his voice a low, dangerous growl.

"I like you, Darkie," the Spirit Sage said with a smirk.

"The name's Zyne, Desert Rat."

"And mine is Nabooru; nice to meet you. Link," she stated, catching the blonde's attention with his name. "Quit daydreaming about the _fun_ you two are going to have and hurry. Ganon'll kill Zelda without a second thought if he has more time to take the Triforce of Wisdom from her."

"I understand," he replied before the Leader of the Gerudos used her power to send him back to the main room. He and Zyne watched as the barrier started to expand as the power sources were cut away from it. "Oh shit."

"Took the words right outta my mouth," Zyne stated before they were slammed against the wall from the force of the barrier stretching outward and away from the next passageway. "Damn…" the darker groaned as the other coughed, trying to get air back into his lungs. After slowly standing, they made their way into the main tower of the castle. After a couple of hours of battling their way up the tower, the two took their time in a stairway. "Okay…that makes Keese, Lizalfos, Stalfos, Wolfos…what next? Iron Knuckle?"

"Two of them," Link answered as the door opened for them. A groan was Zyne's reply. "That's what I want to do right now," he added as he drew his bow, aiming an arrow at the armored enemy on the left. Letting it fly, the Iron Knuckle was efficiently awoken. He ran up to it, slashing it with his blade before it could swing at him.

Something unexpected happened when he ducked, causing Link to find himself adding another scar to the ones his back had suffered. The Iron Knuckle's blow had smashed into the other, waking it, as well. Gritting his teeth, the blonde picked himself up from the floor as blood ran freely from the long gash from the right side of his belt to his right shoulder blade.

"Link! You _idiot_!" Zyne shouted as he jumped forward, occupying the second Iron Knuckle. _Why didn't you wait for me?!_ Defeating his enemy as quickly as possible, he looked over to his light to see how he was fairing against the other. _…He's hurt worse than he's letting on,_ the darker realized with widening eyes as Link tried to lift his shield, hoping for it to take most of the unavoidable blow, but was flung across the room with another crushing slice in his flesh. "Link!"

The young warrior slammed into the wall before slumping to the ground on his bum. Trying to lift his head, Link looked through his slightly-blood-soaked hair at the Iron Knuckle running toward him. _At least…I got most of its armor off…_ he thought to himself as black took over his vision and he passed into unconsciousness.

Zyne heard his light's thoughts as he ran as fast as his feet could carry him, jumping at the Iron Knuckle to bury his blade through its back and chest. "You won't hurt him anymore," he growled next to its helmet before pulling his sword up to slice the head of the monster in half. The creature of evil collapsed and dissolved back into the evil magic that had summoned it as Zyne finished his run to the blonde. "Link…? Please be all right…" he whispered as he lifted the teen's face, seeing the cut over the right eyebrow before surveying the rest of the damage.

The midnight-purple-haired warrior dug around in his lover's pockets and pack, looking for anything to help. With a relieved smile, he withdrew a Red Potion. Tilting the blonde's head back, he tried to get him to open his mouth, finally succeeding when he pressed his forefinger and thumb into each jaw between his teeth. After pouring the crimson liquid into Link's mouth, Zyne closed it and pinched the teen's nose closed. Growling a bit at the fact that he wouldn't swallow it, the darker massaged the other's throat, eventually getting the revitalizing mixture into him.

"That's it, Link… Come on, hikari… Swallow it for me," he mumbled gently as the Red Potion slid down Link's throat, doing its job quickly and efficiently. Breathing a sigh of relief, he pressed a soft kiss to the blonde's cheek then sat beside him, settling in to get a bit of a doze while waiting for him to wake.

"Z…Zyne?" Link asked softly as he came to, slowly lifting his head to look around. _Where…are we?_ he wondered. _Where's Navi and Ivana?_

"Ganon's Tower, Link. They're fine, too," a voice that was more disarming than his own answered his thoughts. Suddenly, he found himself pulled into a gentle embrace. "You're an idiot, hikari… You almost died, too."

"I know… I'm so used to fighting almost alone that…well… I'm sorry." The blonde looked down and away from his yami, biting his lip when the darker sighed. "I…"

"Look at me, Link, please?" the violet-haired man requested quietly, a slight frown taking over his face when Link didn't. "Come on, Link. I'm not mad or anything like that, I promise."

"Zi…you should be. I forgot about you being able to fight for yourself-"

"It's called a protective instinct, Link, and I'm honored that you'd go that far for me, honestly. I just don't want you killing yourself over it," the red-eyed warrior interrupted, cutting Link off before he could make himself feel guiltier. "It's not your fault, all right?"

The blonde bit his lip again before looking up at his darker half. "All right," he said with a smile, his blue eyes reflecting it as well. Zyne pulled Link into a tender kiss before they stood, the darker supporting the lighter for a moment as the hero swayed on his feet a bit. "I'm okay," he reassured.

"Are you certain?"

"Yeah."

"Then…we've got rotten bastard waiting for us," was the reply as Navi and Ivana flew around them, coming out of warm tunics with no small amount of grumbles. Link pulled Zyne back to him holding him tightly as he kissed him, easily slipping his tongue into his shadow's willing mouth. "Heh, love you, too."

"Of course I love you, Zyne. It's certainly not the cuckoo lady that I went _all_ the way to Lake Hylia from THE _Gerudo Fortress_ for." Zyne smirked at him as they opened the Boss Key chest and made their way up the staircase. "Here we are…" Link whispered softly as he sighted the lock and chains of the main monster within the obstacle-filled castle. Lifting the Key, the blonde carefully slid it into the lock and turned it, watching as the gold-colored creations fell to the ground and faded away.

"_Wow_," Zyne stated sarcastically. "If _this _is where we're supposed to fight Ganondorf and his demon self, I don't know how he's gonna fit!"

"D-demon self?" Link echoed, getting a look from his shadow that stated, quite plainly, 'you'll find out'. "All right…there's another huge door over there."

"Wait!"

"What?"

"We forgot about the Great Fairy!"

"Shit."

--End Two—

As you can blatantly see, there's gonna be another chapter to this one. I might make another, but don't get your hopes up. If I do, it'll probably be REALLY short and only touching on the important stuff as a conclusion or something… Unless I make a crossover!!! XD

Drop a review on your way out, would ya?


	3. Chapter 3

A Promise at the Water's Edge

Chapter Three

DISCLAIMER: I own only my ideas.

…Been a while on this fic, hasn't it? Heh, I had this whole elaborate scheme for it on my first laptop…but it decided to play 'screen-meet-desk-edge'. If I would've had half a brain at the time, I would've backed up everything when I could still use my mom's monitor as a screen for it.

…Oh well… Looks like my 'elaborate scheme' went out the window…but it's still going to be a crossover! XD

So… Enjoy!

_**I'm giving a monumental THANK YOU and a mountain-sized double-chocolate-chip cookie to **__darkwolflink1__** for pulling my attention back to **_**A Promise at the Water's Edge**_**. I hope you guys will thank this reader/reviewer, as well!**_

(-)(-)(-)

Link and Zyne panted softly as they finally made it back to the top of Ganon's Tower from visiting a _mildly_-corrupted Great Fairy.

"I thought you said only Goddesses can hurt the Great Fairies?" the blonde asked his darker counterpart as they took a short rest before the last door.

Zyne nodded, leaning his head against Link's before giving a yawn. "Yeah... But I didn't say anything about the land around them, the land that they protect. Did you notice that there's a Great Fairy in all the major areas of Hyrule?"

Link ticked off on his fingers as he listed them, "Zora's Fountain…the Desert Colossus…Death Mountain…the Crater…Hyrule Castle when I was a kid…Ganon's Castle now… Wait, what happened to that one? Wasn't she the same?"

"Just a little off her noodle, though," Zyne replied with a light laugh. "Did you ever notice how they seem to be affected by whether or not their area is at peace?"

The light shook his head. "No, they were usually happy to see me and not trying to kill me while screaming about how long they'd waited…"

(**)

_Link choked as an invisible force wrapped around him, feeling like it was squeezing the life out of him._

"_I waited so long for you, Hero of Time! I've been so lonely here, surrounded by nothing but darkness and despair!" the Great Fairy nearly shrieked, closing her hand tighter around the thin air and causing the force around the blonde to do the same._

"_You're killing him, you insane bitch!" Zyne yelled, trying to focus his own dark power around Link like a shield and push out at the giant woman's magic. "If you've been so lonely, why are you trying to destroy the first ones to come to you in _seven years_?"_

_The Great Fairy actually _sneered_ at him as she answered, "It should have been sooner! It should have been _before_ I could no longer withstand the dark tide!"_

"_And you think it's _his_ fault?" Zyne turned and almost screamed at the dead look that was starting to take over the unconscious blonde. "He wasn't strong enough to reach you! Ganon had this cave blocked by a huge stone, and Link couldn't move it without a special magic hidden within Ganon's Castle!"_

_The barely-covered woman stopped closing her hand tighter but didn't loosen it as she listened to the purplette's words._

"_Ganondorf knew that you'd become the most powerful and most helpful of the Great Fairies! Why do you think he warped this place? It's so that you'd fall victim to it and kill the Hero of Time _for him_! You think that rotten bastard wants to lift a finger to do his _own_ fucking dirty work?"_

_The woman slowly released her grip, but she had the magic gently lay the young hero on the marble floor._

_Zyne was kneeled beside the blonde, listening for his breath and feeling for a pulse before the Great Fairy even knew what was happening. "Goddesses, no… Please, don't take my hikari… No, no, no…please, no…" he whispered, gently brushing golden hair with his fingers._

"…_I am so sorry… I will heal him…"_

"_Don't you think you've done enough?" the darker warrior would have yelled, but his voice broke as tears escaped liquid-blood eyes._

"_I may have lost my senses…but I did this to him… And They are giving me the power to make it right," she answered softly, stepping out of her Fountain as her body shrank to a human-sized one. Reaching up, she gently wiped away the tears staining moonlight-pale cheeks before moving to cradle the blonde she had been waiting what felt like centuries for. "Centuries for me, young one… But a mere night's sleep for you…" she murmured, tenderly touching her cheek to his forehead and her hand to his chest._

"_What are you…?" Zyne trailed off as a multi-colored glow surrounded the two before it reached out to him. He had never felt such otherworldly warmth, but he knew it wasn't supposed to happen until the Goddesses Themselves held Link and himself in Their arms._

"_I have to call his soul back, dark innocent…" she answered even as she healed the damage caused by her loss of sanity. "I have to pull it through you so as to rebuild the connection…"_

(**)

"That was the weirdest, yet one of the best feelings I've ever had," Zyne stated with a little smile as his light wrapped an arm around him and held him close. "Hikari… Be more careful, though, would you?"

Link grinned. "It'll be my middle name."

"You don't have a middle name."

"Exactly."

(**)

"_I have something to give both of you… This is from the Goddesses as They know far more about your future than you will even as you live it," the Great Fairy stated, still in her small form as she had used so much power to bring Link back._

"_You've already done so much, Great Fairy," the blonde mumbled, helping her stand and get back to her Fountain. "We all make mistakes…"_

"_How can you forgive one of the Goddesses' Messengers for doing harm to Their Chosen, Hero?"_

_Link smiled as he said, "I forgave you before you did it. You weren't in your right mind – and believe me, ma'am, try going through the Water Temple and see if you keep your right _or_ left one!"_

_She giggled as she sat in the water that symbolized her never-ending power. "I have a gift for you…" she repeated, holding her hands out and channeling her magic to them to cause two small orbs, one golden-white the other purplish-black, to appear in her palms. "The Sun's Armor and the Moon's Armor… May they protect you as the Goddesses Themselves will," she added before the orbs flew to their respective owners and disappeared into the teenagers' chests. "Rest before you leave, young heroes, and be safe…"_

(**)

"Enough reminiscing about my near death, Zi," Link said with a groan as he stood. "Time to kick His Green Highness's ass!"

"First things first…" Zyne murmured, pushing his light against the wall and capturing soft, tanned lips in a heated kiss that felt as though it lasted for days instead of mere seconds.

It was with a smile that they walked into the room to meet their destiny…

_And to have our ears bleed from a fucking pipe-organ!_ Link thought as he barely resisted wincing and covering said ears.

(-)

Normally opposing sides held tightly to each other as Zelda finished playing her tune on the Ocarina of Time. The tear that wanted to escape the woman's control was halted by shock when the two still stood before her.

"I'll take that back, thank you very much," Link grumbled, snatching the musical instrument from her slack fingers while still holding tightly to his shadow.

It was then that her power decided to snap around them, banishing the air from their lungs with the force of it before green, blue, and red lit around them and they simply vanished.

"_You gave Our Chosen that Ocarina of Time, Princess Zelda… You aren't allowed to take it back."_

The Goddesses voice held a distinct tone of amusement.

"Where did You send them, if I may ask?" the royal woman wondered, still in mild shock of what had just happened.

"_It is a place where each one will be loved and where they will be allowed to love each other. The prejudice of dark and light…wrong and right…will not follow them so doggedly."_

Thinking of how unlike brothers and more like _lovers_ that the two heroes were, she realized the wisdom of the Goddesses' decision. "It isn't my place to question you, my Goddesses… I was merely curious."

"_Be sure that Hyrule remembers the sacrifices of Our Chosen Heroes, Princess Zelda. Be sure that Hyrule never forgets what they lost in return for their home's freedom. …Be sure that Hyrule will bear the mark of greatness just as Our Chosen Heroes must bear it."_

Zelda nodded and said, "It will be done, my Goddesses."

(-)

"Sonuvabitch!" Zyne nearly _snarled_ as he sat up, rubbing his head with the hand that wasn't holding tightly to his light's green tunic. Opening his eyes to get a good look around, his mouth dropped open in shock. "Uh... Hikari…!" he almost _squeaked_, frantically shaking Link's shoulder to wake the blonde.

"Mmnnh… Wha'zit, Zi?"

"Open your eyes and look!" To his shame, his voice was still unnaturally high-pitched, but the darker ignored it in favor of getting Link up.

"A-are these…buildings? They're taller than the Great Deku Tree!" Link exclaimed, though his tone held awe instead of his lover's – _adorable_, he filled in – squeak. "Come on! Let's check this place out!" He pulled Zyne behind him by the purplette's black-gauntlet-covered hand. "Excuse me, can you tell us where we are?" he asked the person walking toward him, taking note of how her ears were rounded like a Gerudo's but that was the only thing she had in common with the female-warrior race.

It was at that moment that she walked through him as though he were a ghost.

Zyne watched with alarm as Link's face drained of blood before the blonde shivered. "Yes, I saw it, too…" he muttered when Link gave him a questioning, somewhat-frightened look.

They had just noticed that there were multiple people walking through them and a weird contraption that was a bit similar to a cart had just passed them.

"…Ooookay, this place is strange as _fuck_!" Link finally stated before a grin broke out on his face. "I wonder what other stuff we can pass through!"

"You can be such a chi_iiild!_" Zyne retorted, the last word being drawn out as Link pulled him across the hard black surface to another grey one like the one they'd just left.

"But you love me anyway!" Link retorted as they continued down the strange grey surface and passed many buildings that were among the tallest things they had ever seen.

"Mika! _Mika!_"

The two warriors stopped dead at the frightened shout of a man's voice, turning to see a small girl chasing after a puppy in front of one of the cart-like contraptions.

Zyne didn't have time to think before Link was rushing toward the child. "Link! We can't touch them! Remember?"

_Maybe… If I want it bad enough, I can… Goddesses, whatever's happening, please let us protect this girl and her dog!_ the blonde thought, knowing that his lover heard it when he felt his shadow's presence right behind him.

A moment later, Link and Zyne, both, had small burdens as they nearly _danced_ away from the many incoming contraptions and back to the grey walking area

Unknown to them both, their images were flickering in and out of focus, and people were staring as the event unfolded.

The little girl lifted her face from Link's chest and looked up at him with watery, chocolate-colored eyes. "A-are you an..an-" she worked her tongue around the word before saying, "angels?"

The puppy in Zyne's arms gave a tiny bark and wagged her tail.

The little girl's eyes filled with tears as she recalled what had almost happened.

Link gave a small smile. "Don't worry, little one… You're safe," he murmured, carefully cradling her as he gently ran his fingers through her soft, auburn hair. "Shh, shh…" he hushed gently as she cried into his tunic.

"M-Mika…!"

"Daddy! The ang…angels saved me and Frizzy!"

Link and Zyne both looked at the puppy and realized that she did have quite a frizzy coat of fur.

_But we're not angels…_ Zyne murmured, staring curiously at the girl.

_For this child, we are,_ Link replied as the purplette stepped over to him and handed 'Frizzy' to the girl.

The darker grinned when 'Frizzy' licked a clear path from Link's chin, across his left eye, to his forehead.

The girl giggled at the blonde's pinched expression before the young hero chuckled with her.

"Good girl," Zyne complimented as he scratched the puppy's ear.

"How…How can I ever thank you young men for saving my daughter and Frizzy?" the man that came up to them asked, gratefully holding his child when she reached for him.

Link and Zyne smiled and reached over to each wipe away the tears from one of her cheeks and scratch the puppy's ears. "Seeing her smile," they murmured together, "Seeing her smile is more than enough," before they vanished from sight, their drive to protect Mika and Frizzy the only that had been keeping them from fading back to intangibility and invisibility.

Mika smiled up at her father and said, "They're _angels_, Daddy!"

Frizzy barked in agreement.

(-)

"Hey, look! We're on the moving-picture-box thing!" Zyne stated, pointing at it as they passed a building that looked to be selling the strange things. He then noticed that many people stopped to watch as he and Link suddenly became visible in the picture in their daring rescue of Mika and Frizzy, going through the point where they vanished again before a woman was kneeling before the child with a strange ball on a stick and speaking into it.

"_What can you tell us about these young men who saved you and this darling puppy?"_

_Mika smiled as she said, "They're not _men_, Miss… They're _angels_! And Frizzy agrees with me, don't'cha, girl?"_

_The puppy yipped before her tongue lolled out as her tail wagged._

"_And there you have it! Were those young men _ghosts_ who wanted to protect a helpless child? Or do _angels_ walk among us as this lovely girl says?"_

Zyne smiled. "I kinda like the thought of being called an angel… What about you, Hikari?"

Link gave his own smile as he answered, "We'll be that girl's angels for as long as she lives."

They didn't know how true Link's statement was – the girl would continue on in life, having her own children to tell her story of how the otherworldly angels saved her and Frizzy.

(-)

"I finally caught up to you!"

The heroes, also known as angels, blinked and turned to face a boy that couldn't have been older than themselves.

"We didn't know you were looking for us," Link stated politely. "Can you tell us exactly where we are? Oh, I'm Link, and this is my lover and darkness, Zyne."

"Pleasure to meet you," the shadow greeted, though his tired voice certainly didn't make it sound like such a pleasure.

"You're the ones who saved that girl and her dog, aren't you?"

Link and Zyne gave little smiles as they answered, "Yeah, that was us."

"Did you sense something from her? Something that made you want to go after her?"

The purplette raised an eyebrow. "What kind of questions are those? We saved them because they would've been hurt or killed otherwise!"

The boy gave a small, strange sort of smile, but it helped the two relax from their ready-for-anything tenseness all the same. "Sorry, but I had to make sure you weren't going to go on a killing spree or start sucking out people's souls."

They blinked again before the blonde asked, "…And we'd do that _why_ exactly? …Wait… How can you see us…hear us…? Much less, _talk_ to us?"

"…You're ghosts. Why wouldn't I be able to? …But you have a weird facial shape compared to other people I've seen…and your ears are pointed?"

"Hey! As far as _we're_ concerned, _you_ are the weird-lookin' one!" Zyne retorted, pointing at the boy in the strange bathrobe-looking clothes.

"Okay, okay… No need to get all testy, sheesh…"

Link placed a fingertip over Zyne's lips before the purplette could get riled any further. "Why don't we try this again…? I've already told you who we are…so who're you? And where are we?"

The other teen gave an apologetic half-smile before answering, "You're in Hollow Central, better known to the living as Karakura Town. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, but you can just call me Ichigo."

"Okay, Ichigo… 'Hollow Central'?"

"Why don't I take you to Mr. Hat-n-Clogs and explain a bit on the way? He can tell you more than I can ever hope to," Ichigo answered, turning to lead the way before his eyebrows furrowed in a confused way more than a 'I-am-stuck-like-this' way. "What's wrong? You comin'?"

"Never seen a sword that big, that's all," Link stated as he and his lover caught up with Ichigo.

Zyne grinned as he rubbed his elbow into Ichigo's ribs and stated, "Looks like you're overcompensating for something."

After his face went tomato red, Ichigo grit his teeth together and ground out, "I. Am. Not!"

The purplette grinned even wider. "Really, now? Sure looks like it to me! See, check mine out!" he said and pulled out the Shadow Master Sword.

Link groaned as the two continued to argue a fourth of the way, and he received no answers. To put a stop to it, he shocked Ichigo into silence as he pressed Zyne up against a wall and kissed him roughly and heatedly enough to leave him in a daze for about a half-mile. It was then that he finally got a good handful of explanations, and Ichigo got a few from him, as well.

(-)

A couple of weeks had passed, and the two heroes had learned nearly all they could about how the world of the Shinigami worked. They had listened as Ichigo recounted how he became a Shinigami, lost his ability, gained it back, went to Soul Society, and even saved a few friends along the way. They could also tell that, when Ichigo spoke about his Hollow, it wasn't with hate or scorn as everyone else believed.

It had also taken them those two weeks to get their ability to be seen and touched under control to the point that they could do it at will.

(-)

"…Hey, Zi?"

"Yeah, Hikari?"

"What do you say to going to visit Ichigo? …I want to know more about that Hollow he has…"

"More like you want to know how much Ichigo really cares for his Hollow, ne, Hikari?"

"Aa…" Link sat up from where he was laid back on Urahara's roof, watching the sky change colors. "…Maybe I should call first, do you think?"

"It's polite."

"Yo, Urahara-san!"

"You two are picking up on our speech quite well for being from another world. We shouldn't have even been able to understand each other."

Zyne snagged the shopkeeper's fan before the blonde could flip it out and hide his face.

"Don't question the Golden Three, Urahara-san…" Link said in a playful, yet warning tone. "Remember what happened last time?"

"…" Urahara was silent. Yes, he did remember. It was hard to forget when one's hat spontaneously sets itself on fire while on the owner's head. "Anyway, I overheard you-"

"Eavesdropping is rude, Urahara-san," Link interrupted with an annoyed look.

"-and I brought you the phone-"

"You actually have a phone?" Zyne wondered.

"-so that you can call Ichigo-san," Urahara finished, a furious tic developing in his forehead.

Zyne and Link grinned as the blonde swiped the small, handheld machine and pressed Ichigo's number.

"_Hello, Kurosaki Clinic, Kurosaki Ichigo speaking, how may I help you?"_

"Mind if Zi and I come over?"

"_Link? Yeah, sure! You'll have to excuse my dad… He's having one of those- GAH! FUCK, DAD! WHAT THE HELL'S THE MATTER WITH YOU? CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I'M ON THE PHONE!"_

Link wondered if Ichigo could feel the glare he was giving the machination in his hand. From the shudder he could hear, he supposed so. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say…he's having one of his 'pounce-and-maim' days," he stated, already seeing the nod before the teen would realize that the blonde couldn't see him and gave an affirmative. "So… It's alright that Zi and I come over?"

"_Yeah…and thanks for calling beforehand. Gives me some time to try and straighten up Dad- FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"_

"I'm sure you'll understand this, Ichigo," Link quickly half-muttered before pressing the 'END' button. "Urahara-san…" the blonde called as the man made to leave with his telephone. "Do you think it'd be a good idea to invest in a Soul Mobile for Ichigo?" he asked with a little grin, receiving one from his fellow blonde in return.

"It might be."

(-)

Zyne held Link in front of him as they arrived at the Kurosaki Household, careful of what dangers could lurk beyond the door – especially with the way Kurosaki Isshin was known for greeting his son.

Link chuckled softly at how silly his lover was acting before finding out that aforementioned lover's fears were very grounded as he barely dodged a flying kick, pulling the purplette with him. Twisting around the doctor to see the orange-haired teen behind the strange man, the Hylians gave little smiles at the apologetic look gleaming in the bronze-chocolate eyes.

"Oh, we have guests! Ichi-nii! Why haven't you invited them in!"

"Aa, Yuzu…" Ichigo gave a small smile to his little sister before kindly _kicking_ his father out of the way and moving to the side for them to enter. "Sorry about my dad… He's normally not prone to attacking guests…" The teen ran a hand through his hair in irritation then introduced the young heroes to his little sister. "Karin's asleep… She came down with something a couple of days ago, and her fever just recently broke."

"That's why you look like you haven't slept in a week…" Zyne mumbled, brushing careful fingertips under the tired eyes. "You've got bags under your eyes the size of Urahara's insanity…"

At the very-mildly-amused look that came over Ichigo's face, Link gently cupped the barely-shorter male's chin and tipped it to where he could clearly see the tiredness that the Substitute Shinigami too easily hid. "You're about to fall asleep on your feet, Ichigo… Why don't Zyne and I come back at another time? You need rest."

"No, no… S'alright," Ichigo mumbled. "Yuzu, we're going up to my room. If you need any help or anything…"

"Talk with your friends, Ichi-nii, then sleep… They're right. You're dead on your feet," she replied with a small, sweet smile. "Karin-chan… She'll be okay, Ichi-nii… You don't have to protect us all the time… Daddy and I will take care of her."

Ichigo smiled at the insight his youngest sibling had – it still surprised him, sometimes. "Come on… Just up the stairs… So," he paused when they entered, locking the door before stretching some strange material over it. "Dad and Yuzu are really bad about eavesdropping… This is some odd stuff that Renji gave me that's supposed to prevent the sound waves from passing through the door."

The Hylians nodded, giving one more strange gaze to the material before taking the seat Ichigo offered them at the foot of the orange-haired teen's bed.

"So…why'd you guys come over? It can't just be for the fun of it," the eldest Kurosaki sibling wondered.

Link, blunt and straight to the point, questioned, "You care for your Hollow, don't you, Ichigo?" in a gentle voice that was more statement than query.

Eyes wide and more alert than they had been the entire day, Ichigo simply stared at Link before soft laughter bubbled up in his throat. He barely stomped on the need to burst into hysterical cackles. "Are you serious, Link? Why would I-"

"Don't lie to me, Ichigo. These ears of ours are for more than only hearing our Goddesses."

"Don't'cha know ya can trust 'em, aibou?"

"Sh-Shiro!"

Zyne smirked. "You _were_ overcompensating for something with a sword that huge, weren't you?"

The bleach-white, near-copy of Ichigo grinned, gold-on-black eyes flashing. "I like this one!" he informed with a little laugh as Link and Ichigo, both, rolled their eyes.

"How'd you know?"

"I knew what to look for when you spoke about him to us. I knew you couldn't hate him as much as you make everyone else believe."

Ichigo gave one of his very-rare smiles. "…That's good… I don't have to hide when I'm with you guys…"

"Quit worryin' 'bout what other people think, and ya wouldn't have'ta hide 'round anybody, aibou," Shiro murmured, unable to recall how many times he'd said that very same thing to the teen.

"I can't do that, Shiro! Soul Society would kill both of us!" Ichigo retorted, spinning up from his chair to face his Hollow. "…I can't do that to us…or to Dad, Karin, and Yuzu… I can't, Shiro…"

"I know, Ichigo…" the Hollow replied, leaning forward to softly kiss his Shinigami.

Once they had pulled away from each other, Zyne gave a smile and said, "At least you have us to talk to… Like you said, Ichigo: you don't have to hide around us."

"Something else is really nice, though…"

"What's that?" Link asked as his and his shadow's fingers twined together almost subconsciously.

Ichigo let another tiny smile curve his lips as he said, "Having another couple around who're two halves of the same soul."

(-)(-)(-)

End Chapter Three

Ugh… I didn't think that one was ever gonna end…but I couldn't just leave you guys hanging when they warped away or when Ichigo introduced himself. That would've pissed me off royally if I'd been a reader of this fic…so thankfully, I'm the writer. I can make it so that my readers don't get royally pissed at me. :P

Reviews make me happy!


	4. Chapter 4

A Promise at the Water's Edge

Chapter Four

DISCLAIMER: I own only my ideas.

…Sadly, those ideas seem to be hiding behind the cobwebs in my brain…

_**This Is My New Line Break 'Cause FFNet Doesn't Like Parentheses and Hyphens**_

That's just to let you guys know because I'm tired of FFNet messing up the flow of my fanfics with that silly crap!

_**BreakBreakBreak**_

Link sighed softly as he stood outside in the silent, midnight air.

"You think Ichigo's gonna be alright?" Zyne wondered as he stepped up beside his light, looking out at the stars that could only be seen when the city was asleep.

The blonde tilted his head toward the purplette with a soft grin curving his lips as he answered, "Come on, Zi… Ichigo's got us, doesn't he? We'll back him up come Hell or high water, ne?" He turned ethereal-crystal eyes back to the sky as the expression fell from his face. "It's what Ichigo might have to face that worries me…"

"You're right, Hikari," the darker warrior agreed. "We only know that he's been through some rapids in the 'high water' part… I just don't get it, though…"

Blinking in curiosity, Link turned to face his lover. "What do you mean?" he questioned slowly, not liking the pensive look on his darkness's face.

"He's saved Soul Society's ass how many times now? Aizen tried to overthrow them and ended up taking the Hogyoku, Kariya tried to blow them up, a gang of old guys wanted to destroy _both_ worlds, a couple of whack-jobs wanted to take out all of them just to have Rukia, some weird Zanpakutou wanted to free his sealed master, and some other dude wanted to kill the old fart for revenge... I mean… Who else is gonna come along and try to make this place a colorful smear on the map? Some fuck-up that wants revenge for something else? Or is Aizen gonna eventually work up the balls to come and take care of this shit himself?"

Link dropped his gaze and ran a hand over the back of his uncovered head, ruffling the slowly-lengthening blonde hair into a mild mess. "I really don't know, Zi…" he finally answered then added, "But I can tell you this: Ichigo won't be alone. Even if everyone else leaves him, he'll always have us at his back."

"Oh, I get what you're saying, Hikari, and I couldn't agree more. My point, though… When are these selfish bastards gonna be thankful for what a sixteen-year-old _kid_ has sweated, bled, and nearly died for?" Zyne bit out harshly, glaring up at the sky as though chastising all of Soul Society. "Yeah, Ichigo saw it as saving his friends' lives, but that's not the point! It may have been for his friends in his mind, but he still kept that place from getting blown out of its happy little dimension!"

Link smirked, unable to resist saying, "Preaching to the choir, Zyne." The sharp upturn of the corner of his lips softened into a smile as he rested his head against Zyne's. "I don't know if we'll ever be able to do something about that… We'll just have to focus on what we _can_ do in the 'here and now'."

Zyne pulled a strange expression before grinning. "For the 'here and now', I say we get rid of some sexual frustration that's been plaguing us sense we sealed up ol' green bean." He turned his becoming-seductive grin on his lover and pressed a kiss to tanned lips. "It feels like it's been years since we first did the dirty…and I'm itching to have you writhing as you ride my cock again."

The blonde's smirk returned, but it had an absolutely-_devilish_ manner about it. "Maybe it'll be _you_ writhing as I tease you until you're _begging_ me to fill you so deep, hard, and fast that you won't be walking right for days," the supposedly-lighter of the two retorted.

Zyne turned his head to catch his light's slightly-tanned bottom lip between his lips, suckling on it as he ran his tongue across the tender flesh. "Talking like that… Mmm, I might start begging you right now…" he whispered, his lips brushing the blonde's before Link grew tired of the mutual teasing and captured the purplette's lips in a rough kiss.

_**Break**_

Ichigo sighed as he woke slowly, giving a languid stretch before leaping out of his bed just in time to miss his father's flying kick. _Ugh, what is _wrong_ with this guy?_ he snarled to himself, Shiro hearing it, too, if the laughter was any indication. "Oyaji, I'm really not-…!" He growled, interrupting himself as he slammed the man into the floor. "I'm not in the mood!"

Isshin looked at his son for a moment before darkly questioning, "Did those boys who visited the other day do something to my darling son?" He jumped up and struck a pose as he yelled, "Daddy will protect his beautiful son's innocence!"

Ichigo felt as though his eyebrows had become one with his hairline as his jaw fell slack, his mouth hanging open. "My-my _innocence_! The hell's the matter with you! Get out of my room!" he yelled, grabbing the back of his father's shirt and slinging him out the window with one arm in an impressive show of strength for a human body.

"Why do you treat your father this way?" Isshin whined as he flew over the neighbor's house.

A crash with a feline shriek sounded as Ichigo stomped his way downstairs to the breakfast table. He threw on the brakes and stared at the people sitting there before simply stating, "Oh hell no," and turning back around.

"Kurosaki-san! Why do you treat your dear friends this way?"

Ichigo gave a deadpan stare as he looked over his shoulder and said, "My 'dear friends' usually call before coming to my house," then waved as he started toward the stairs but a cane handle caught his shoulder.

"Kurosaki-san… You're being unbelievably _mean_-spirited this morning…"

"I don't care. Go bother a _believably_ mean-spirited person-"

"Ne, Ichigo…what's got you so worked up this morning?"

"Take a wild guess. Actually, I'll give you _three_ guesses and the first two don't count," Ichigo retorted, facing the people gathered in his home again with his arms crossed. "What is it, geta-boushi-san?"

"Something strange is going on, Ichigo… What are you hiding?"

Ichigo shifted his eyes from Urahara's to Tessai's then Zyne's and finally resting on Link's, the sunkissed-blonde having been the one to speak and gain his interest. "What're you talking about?" he wondered, his eyes widening when Link's closed slowly. "What? What is it, Link?" He shifted his gaze to Zyne, the only other person who he trusted on the same level as Link. "Zyne…?"

Link's eyes snapped open, and he stood. _Zi, we've gotta talk to him alone. We're the only ones who know…and I won't let everyone else pressure him like this,_ he sent to his darkness as he gazed into the fresh-blood-colored eyes.

Zyne sighed, standing beside his light. _Alright… Well, at least we'll help the kid keep a cool head,_ he replied, following the blonde as he stepped in front of the orange-haired teenager. _Then again…we're not much older… Still teenagers ourselves, ne, Hikari?_

_Aa… We are…but just like Ichigo, we've faced too much to still be thought of as such,_ Link answered with a smirk in his mental voice. "Ichigo," he whispered so quietly that the orange-head had to strain to hear, "Urahara doesn't know… Zyne and I would _never_ reveal the secrets you've trusted us with…but we do need to talk to you…"

"Link…Zyne… You're gonna have to tell me what's going on. I can't read minds," Ichigo muttered before the lighter of the two took a gentle hold of his arm.

"Hope you know what you're doin', Hikari," Zyne mumbled as he wrapped an arm around his lover.

The trio disappeared in a swirl of green light, making those at the table jump up with a shout of surprise.

_**Break**_

When the whirlwind of green reappeared, Ichigo would have dropped to his knees and vomited if not for the arms that steadied him and his skipping breakfast. "Holy…shit…" he choked, "Why's…six of you…?"

"Six of…" Link blinked before it clicked, and he chuckled quietly. "Sorry, I guess I should've warned you…"

"Would've…been nice…" the younger teen gasped, trying to force down the need to expel anything and everything that may have been in his stomach. "Just…what the hell…?"

"You're hiding your power, Ichigo…" Link muttered, shocking the teen to the point of forgetting about his stomach declaring mutiny. "People are starting to realize it… At one point, you're weak as a newborn kitten, then the next, you're as powerful as a tiger-"

"So? That doesn't mean anything-" Ichigo tried to interrupt but was spoken over by Zyne.

"Everyone else who knows thought it was Shiro…but we're starting to realize that it's all _you_ – not Zangetsu, not Shiro, but _you_, Ichigo. …If it's so easy for Link and I to see it, how long do you think it's gonna take everyone else to start catching on?" the purplette questioned rhetorically. "If you want everyone to think it's your lover granting you all of this power, maybe you should hide it much better."

"I don't need you telling me how to-"

"Shh..." Link hushed gently, laying his index finger against the younger warrior's lips. He smiled softly as he carefully sat the orange-head down. "We're not trying to tell you how to run your own show, Ichigo; we're trying to help you. Eh…Zi just has a major lack of tact," he informed, adding the last part with a grin. "Ack!" he yelled when a moonlight-pale, black-gauntlet-covered fist slammed into his jaw. "That _hurt_, you asshole!"

"It was _supposed_ to, Hikari," Zyne grumbled, crossing his arms and looking pointedly away from his lover.

"Hey," Link shrugged, "Not my fault you have a bad connection between your brain and your mouth." He ducked the incoming punch that time. "Anyway," he continued, dropping to sit on his bum beside his and his lover's first and greatest friend in the strange world they found themselves in, "We're just warning you to be extra careful. It's a good idea to hide your true power, Ichigo. I agree wholeheartedly with holding back for underestimation purposes, but you have to be _extremely_ careful with it…"

"And your inability to mask your reiatsu is about as dangerous as a sack of bricks in a tornado," the darker of the two Hylians added as he sat on Ichigo's other side.

Ichigo sighed, leaning back to lie down and stare up at the clouds – or he would have if not for his head landing on something mildly soft and looking up at his lover's death-white face, gold-on-black eyes, and a blue tongue sticking out at him childishly.

"Told ya so, aibou," Shiro muttered, leaning down to press an upside-down kiss to his Shinigami's lips. "Yer gonna have ta listen ta me more often. This shit wouldn't happen."

"Nah," Zyne cut in before an argument could start up. "Link and I just know what to look for… We're so used to Ichigo's reiryoku and reiatsu that we can tell when yours is mixing with his and when it isn't."

"Exactly. Neither of you are at fault…" Link smiled softly as he looked at the two – so different, yet so alike…like his lover and himself – and said, "We're just worried. We care about you two, and we're going to try to prevent anything bad that might happen to you."

"Care about us, huh?" Shiro asked with a grin.

"Shiro…" Ichigo growled warningly at his Hollow's thoughts. "Shiro, don't you dare-!"

"How deep's that care go? Wanna try an orgy?"

Link blushed five shades of red.

Ichigo blushed from his collar to his hairline and groaned while covering his face.

Zyne looked at his lover and grinned like the cat that caught the canary.

A few more shades of crimson attacked the sunkissed features of the blonde's face.

Shiro cackled as he filled the silence with, "Ne, aibou… They didn't say 'no'!"

_**Break**_

Ichigo sighed as he showed up at the Urahara Shouten, the man having called him about having something new for him to try out. Stepping into the shop, he found Ururu there to lead him further inside.

"This way, Ichigo-san," she said, motioning with her arm before walking down the hallway. "Link-san and Zyne-san had something they wanted you for, too," she added, not seeing the fierce blush that he had to fight down at the thought of them.

"Kurosaki-san!" Urahara greeted happily, two cups of tea already sitting on the low table with the pot between them. "I have something brand new that I've tweaked, and I'm going to need your help testing it," he continued, reaching into his sleeve.

"…Why don't I like the sound of that?" Ichigo grumbled as he sat across from the man who had taught him so much and in so short a time.

"Well, you should like it very much. It was Link's idea, actually, and I'm shocked that I never thought of it," the flaxen-blonde answered, putting something on the table before sliding it across to rest in front of Ichigo.

"…" The orange-head picked it up and mumbled, "A phone? You tweaked a _phone_?"

"A Soul Phone, actually," the exiled Shinigami corrected.

"Okay, a _Soul Phone_…whatever. That still doesn't answer my question."

"You'll be able to get in contact with people and find Hollows easier. Plus, it also helps mask your reiatsu…since you're not worth beans at it!"

Ichigo glared at the last part, which, to him, Urahara sounded just a bit _too_ cheerful when pointing it out. "I can't help that. I have too much reiryoku to hide the feel of it, and you know it."

"That is because it isn't _mature_, Kurosaki-san," the shopkeeper replied, his tone serious. "You're only sixteen years old. Take Yamamoto for example; he's well over _two thousand_ years old, Ichigo… His power is _vast_, like yours, but he can control it because he's had _centuries_ to do so." Urahara gave a smile to the teen as he added, "Until a time when you can do the same, use this phone. I'll upgrade it whenever you get stronger so that you don't overload it."

"Okay…" Ichigo sighed before continuing with, "I'm guessing you've figured out what Link and Zyne already have, right?"

"You're not as stupid as you look, Kurosaki-san!" came the cheerful retort as the trademark fan opened to hide the other half of Urahara's gleeful face.

"Oi! What's that- Never mind. What do you need me to do with this thing?" the orange-head asked, letting the insult slide.

"Come with me," Urahara said as he stood and moved to where the trapdoor that led to his underground training area was hidden. "I need you in your Shinigami form," he began as they touched the dusty ground and used Benihime to eject the teen's soul from his body. "Remember Kukaku's cannon?"

"You want me to focus my reiryoku into this phone?" Ichigo asked after getting up and resituating his human body into a more comfortable position.

"You got it, but I want you to call up every last ounce of power you have before doing it – all of your power, Shinigami and Hollow."

"Alright… Shiro? Let's do this," Ichigo muttered, his Hollow appearing in front of him and clasping a hand over his that was holding the phone.

"Ready, aibou?" the albino questioned, both ignoring Urahara's shocked gasp.

"Aa," the more colorful teen assured before power flooded the underground training area, cracks spreading through the ground from where they were standing.

_**Break**_

Twin gasps sounded.

"What the _hell_ is Urahara-san _doing_?"

"Better yet: what the hell is he _thinking_?"

_**Break**_

"My, my… You were hiding more than I thought you were, Kurosaki-san!" Urahara complimented before a foot connected with the back of his head and drove his face into the ground.

"What the _fuck_ were you _thinkin'_, you _crazy_ _bastard_?"

Ichigo and Shiro blinked, looking over to see Link standing with one foot on the shopkeeper's head and Zyne trying to pull him away while trying to hold in his laughter and failing miserably on both accounts.

"Hikari! _I'm_ supposed to be the impulsive one, remember? Get your damn foot off his head and let him explain!"

"I should kick his ass into next week!"

"Ya know, aibou… I think they've been around you too much," Shiro mentioned as he and his Shinigami pulled all their power back inside themselves. "Their speech didn't used ta be so…so…"

"Vulgar?" Ichigo filled in with a grin curving his lips. "Yeah… I think the air's about to turn blue around them if they carry on like this."

"-you ignorant _dumbass_! Soul Society will _kill_ Ichigo if you keep this up! What crossed your _mind_, Urahara? Better yet, do you even _have_ a mind?"

"BARRIER! I PUT UP A BARRIER! MERCY, LINK-SAN! MERCY!"

Link _growled_ but allowed the flaxen-blonde to get up. "That still doesn't tell me what the _fuck_ you were thinkin'! Having Ichigo and Shiro blast their power like that… You're lucky Zyne and I were here to keep your barrier from breaking!" he scolded, feeling like a teacher with a misbehaving student.

Urahara blinked, not having been chastised in such a way in over a century.

"Yo! S'alright," Shiro assured, standing beside Zyne with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah. Geta-boushi was just workin' with this phone idea you had," Ichigo explained as he stepped up beside Link, blushing when he caught crystalline eyes and nervously smiling when the honey-blonde's cheeks flushed as well. "Er…ah… See?" he stuttered before holding the phone out for the Hylian to look at.

"Hmm…" Link picked it up by the chain that dangled from the back and smiled a bit at the colors of it. He chuckled when he realized it had the color of Ichigo's reiryoku from Bankai – mainly black, but it had a bloody-red around the mini-screen with white accents through the black from Shiro. It wouldn't surprise him if the number pad glowed a sky-blue color, though. "It still doesn't excuse Urahara's horrible underestimation of your and Shiro's power, Ichigo," he stated, his eyes hardening into icy chips as he glared at the shopkeeper.

Urahara raised his hands to ward away whatever harm was going to befall him as he nervously said, "I didn't expect a _child_ in Shinigami standards to be able to hide his strength so…so impressively!"

Ichigo scowled at the flaxen-blonde and muttered, "I'm not a kid."

"I've already told you about this, Kurosaki-san. You _are_ a child compared to many powerful Shinigami. It's why you can't control your reiatsu _or_ how your reiryoku oozes out," the exiled Shinigami replied.

The orange-head gave him a deadpan glare. "Don't say 'ooze'. It makes me feel dirty," he grumbled.

"Oh...? Ya wanna feel _dirty_, aibou? Why didn't ya just say so?" Shiro asked, wrapping one arm around the teen from behind as he slid his other arm across his Shinigami's shoulder and traced his fingertips down a peachy-tan-skinned cheek. He pressed his cool lips on the sensitive skin of his lover's throat and smirked at the shiver he received. "Wanna find out how dirty I can make ya feel?" he breathed against the soft flesh.

Ichigo gasped softly, barely stopping himself from moaning though his mouth fell open as his head fell back to rest on Shiro's shoulder and gave his Hollow more flesh to work with.

Urahara blinked in shock before politely averting his eyes, though that action caused his eyes to fall on Link and Zyne. He hid a smirk when he noticed both Hylians' eyes were dilated and soft-pink flushes were on their cheeks. _Someone has a crush…_ he realized, a scheme cooking up in his head without giving thought to how the subjects of that scheme would react.

_Ah… Zi?_ Link murmured, not even noticing the shopkeeper disappearing from the underground training area.

_What is it, Hikari?_ the purplette questioned, watching with rapt attention as Shiro's hand slid inside Ichigo's shihakushou while the orange-head buried a hand in snow-white hair.

_Why are we both enjoying this so much? Well…you're supposed to be the less moral of the two of us, but… That doesn't explain why _I_ want to watch as Shiro ravishes Ichigo…_ the blonde wondered, totally baffled at his own feelings.

_Well… Insults aside, Hikari,_ Zyne grumbled as both he and his light shivered at the whimpering cry that escaped Ichigo when Shiro bit into his throat somehow-gently. _I really don't know… Maybe we _should_ have that orgy that Shiro mentioned, ya think?_

_No, I don't…_ Link was quick to answer but trailed off with his mouth hanging open as their orange-headed friend pulled their bleached friend's head up and kissed him roughly, almost desperately. _I…I really don't…_

Zyne reached over with a fingertip, pushing his fellow hero's chin up as he replied, _I understand… I don't wanna ruin any of our relationships that we have with each other, either..._ He bit his lip and looked over at his light as he added hesitantly,_ But I'm…I'm not so sure I can hold out, Link…_

_I…I know, Zi… It's hard on me, too… And in more ways than just one,_ the blonde assured, adding the last part when Shiro's white shihakushou was parted and a rough bite was administered to the muscle between his neck and shoulder that caused the Hollow to moan throatily. _Let's…_ he trailed off with a harsh swallow as Ichigo's obi was deftly untied and tossed behind Shiro. _Let's go…before we both do something we'll regret,_ he was able to finish once his scattered wits came back together.

_Yeah..._ Zyne agreed softly, quickly taking hold of Link before the lighter of the two whisked them away with Farore's Wind.

Ichigo and Shiro barely took notice when their audience hastily departed.

_**BreakBreakBreak**_

End Chapter Four

LOL! I have no idea what kind of turn this fic is taking, honestly! :P

Reviews make me happy!


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